Light weight Backpack Food Planning and Preparation

Registration for this class is for Mountaineers members who are not registered for the B3 course and are not a backpack leader or in the process of becoming one.  

Want tips for planning your backpacking menus to ensure you have the energy you need to feel great on your trip, while still keeping your pack weight light? Want to learn a system for backpack food prep that involves minimal extra gear, prep time, fuel, cleanup and trash to pack out? Want to be able to adapt your favorite tasty and healthy 'comfort foods' you eat at home to bring on the trail?   

This class is for new backpackers and experienced ones who would like to update their skills and amp up the taste and energy content of their trail diet.  You will find out how to build a backpack menu that is tasty, lightweight AND supplies enough calories to fuel your trip.   For the first half of the class we'll review tried-and-true methods for planning and prep of your trail menu before your trip, and share lots of examples of calorie-dense food options.  We'll provide information to build meals from inexpensive instant products on the grocery shelf, from dehydrated or freeze dried staples that you can order easily online, or from the deli counter, freezer case or your own favorite leftovers prepared with a low cost home dehydrator.  We'll also discuss various options to prepare your meals at camp including various stove and fuel alternatives.  We'll also speak to vegetarian and vegan considerations and other special diets. This will be a hands on class - we'll evaluate the calorie density of your favorite trail menu items, demonstrate some lightweight food prep methods, and have some samples for participants to taste. We encourage participants to bring their own recipes, experiences and questions.